It began with a mangy wombat under a house, but this unlikely encounter has grown into a multi-million dollar mission to bring koalas back from the brink in New South Wales.
A Friendship Forged in Wildlife Rescue
The story starts when businessman and philanthropist Peter Lewis met wildlife rescuer John Creighton. Creighton was called to Lewis's property to help a distressed wombat, sparking a partnership that has evolved into the ambitious Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary (SHWS) in Bundanoon.
Combining over two decades of business acumen with more than ten years of frontline wildlife experience, the duo is creating a hub for education, research, and koala conservation. Their ultimate goal is the reintroduction of healthy koala populations into the vast Morton National Park, which spans approximately 200,000 hectares from the Highlands to Ulladulla.
Confronting a Century of Decline
The scale of the challenge is historic. Peter Lewis points to records showing koalas were once so common they were "literally walking down the street" in some areas. At the dawn of the 20th century, an estimated two million koalas lived across NSW. Today, experts believe only between 95,000 and 238,000 remain.
This dramatic decline is attributed to the now-banned fur trade, widespread land clearing, and urban development. The threats are compounded by disease, with chlamydia devastating many remaining populations, causing infertility, blindness, and making koalas more vulnerable.
John Creighton's resolve was hardened by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20. "I was working through those long nights, and I saw the devastation," he recalls, describing the large-scale destruction of habitat and native animals.
Building a 'Centre of Excellence' in Bundanoon
Despite the sombre history, the project is fuelled by community optimism. "The bushfires really revealed a rich vein of care in the community," John says. "You saw the community banding together to save the animals - it was overwhelming."
This grassroots enthusiasm is now being channelled into the sanctuary's concrete plans. The SHWS will not be a zoo. "It's not for the display of animals," Peter Lewis emphasises. "We don't want them to stay in captivity and become tame. The idea is to help them home."
The sanctuary's design includes:
- An education centre to engage the public.
- A research centre focused on koala health and conservation science.
- A bush corridor to connect with Morton National Park.
- Rehabilitation facilities where volunteers will care for a range of native species for release.
Key to the project's success will be identifying suitable, safe habitat within the national park and conducting thorough research to ensure any reintroduced koalas can thrive.
A $10 Million Vision Powered by Community
John and Peter forecast the total project budget will reach around $10 million. "It sounds like a lot, but it's actually quite a small budget when you consider what we're doing," Peter notes, highlighting the sanctuary's strong volunteer base. "Every dollar we raise goes to helping and protecting wildlife."
Membership to support the sanctuary is free, and the founders actively encourage people from all backgrounds to get involved. They believe the fusion of different skills—from business to biology—is what makes the vision so powerful.
"More people are coming on board, and I see a very bright future for it," John Creighton says with conviction. "It's very much waiting to happen."
